Career and Education Opportunities for Dispatchers in Chula Vista, California

There are many career and education opportunities for dispatchers in the Chula Vista, California area. Currently, 22,300 people work as dispatchers in California. This is expected to grow by 5% to about 23,400 people by 2016. This is better than the nation as a whole, where employment opportunities for dispatchers are expected to shrink by about 2.6%. Dispatchers generally schedule and dispatch workers, work crews, or service vehicles for conveyance of materials, freight, or passengers, or for normal installation, service, or emergency repairs rendered outside the place of business.

The income of a dispatcher is about $17 per hour or $35,720 yearly on average in California. In the U.S. as a whole, their income is about $16 hourly or $33,850 yearly on average. Compared with people working in the overall category of Dispatching and Logistics, people working as dispatchers in California earn more. They earn more than people working in the overall category of Dispatching and Logistics nationally.

The Chula Vista area is home to sixty schools of higher education, including two within twenty-five miles of Chula Vista where you can get a degree as a dispatcher. Given that the most common education level for dispatchers is a high school diploma or GED, it will take only a short time to learn to be a dispatcher if you already have a high school diploma.

CAREER DESCRIPTION: Dispatcher

Dispatcher video from the State of New Jersey Dept. of Labor and Workforce Development

In general, dispatchers schedule and dispatch workers, work crews, or service vehicles for conveyance of materials, freight, or passengers, or for normal installation, service, or emergency repairs rendered outside the place of business. They also duties may include using radio, telephone, or computer to transmit assignments and compiling statistics and reports on work progress.

Dispatchers advise personnel about traffic problems such as construction areas and other hazards. They also talk with customers or supervising personnel to address questions and requests for service or equipment. Equally important, dispatchers have to decide on types or amounts of equipment or personnel required in line with work orders or specifications. They are often called upon to monitor personnel or equipment locations and utilization to direct service and schedules. They are expected to schedule and dispatch staff, work crews or service vehicles to appropriate locations in line with customer requests or needs, using radios or telephones. Finally, dispatchers record and maintain files and archives of customer requests, work or services performed, charges and other dispatch data.

Every day, dispatchers are expected to be able to articulate ideas and problems. They need to listen to and understand others in meetings. It is also important that they understand what others are saying to them even in a noisy environment.

It is important for dispatchers to receive or ready work orders. They are often called upon to manage needed repairs to restore service and schedules. They also oversee all communications within specifically assigned territories. They are sometimes expected to relay work orders and data to or from work crews and field inspectors using telephones or two-way radios. Somewhat less frequently, dispatchers are also expected to order supplies and equipment, and issue them to personnel.

And finally, they sometimes have to record and maintain files and archives of customer requests, work or services performed, charges and other dispatch data.

Like many other jobs, dispatchers must be reliable and be thorough and dependable.

Order Filler. Fill customers' mail and telephone orders from stored merchandise in accordance with specifications on sales slips or order forms. Duties include computing prices of items, completing order receipts, keeping records of out-going orders, and requisitioning additional materials, supplies, and equipment.

EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES: Dispatcher Training

Southwestern College - Chula Vista, CA

Southwestern College, 900 Otay Lakes Rd, Chula Vista, CA 91910-7299. Southwestern College is a large college located in Chula Vista, California. It is a public school with primarily 2-year programs and has 19,997 students. Southwestern College has an associate's degree and a two to four year program in Logistics and Materials Management.

University of San Diego - San Diego, CA

University of San Diego, 5998 Alcala Park, San Diego, CA 92110-2492. University of San Diego is a medium sized university located in San Diego, California. It is a private not-for-profit school with primarily 4-year or above programs. It has 7,832 students and an admission rate of 52%. University of San Diego has a postbaccalaureate certificate and a master's degree program in Logistics and Materials Management which graduated twenty and eleven students respectively in 2008.

CERTIFICATIONS

Emergency Number Professional:
Certification is a tool of a professional association to establish the benchmarks of performance that will signify a broad-based competence in the professional field.

LOCATION INFORMATION: Chula Vista, California

Chula Vista, California photo by FlickreviewR

Chula Vista is located in San Diego County, California. It has a population of over 219,318, which has grown by 26.4% in the past ten years. The cost of living index in Chula Vista, 134, is far greater than the national average. New single-family homes in Chula Vista are valued at $226,700 on average, which is far less than the state average. In 2008, one hundred eleven new homes were built in Chula Vista, down from three hundred twelve the previous year.

The three big industries for women in Chula Vista are health care, educational services, and public administration. For men, it is construction, public administration, and accommodation and food services. The average commute to work is about 27 minutes. More than 22.2% of Chula Vista residents have a bachelor's degree, which is lower than the state average. The percentage of residents with a graduate degree, 7.2%, is lower than the state average.

The unemployment rate in Chula Vista is 12.3%, which is the same as California's average of 12.3%.

The percentage of Chula Vista residents that are affiliated with a religious congregation, 43.7%, is less than both the national and state average. Seventh Day Adventist Church, First Christian Church and First Church of Christ are some of the churches located in Chula Vista. The largest religious groups are the Catholic Church, the LDS (Mormon) Church and the Southern Baptist Convention.

Chula Vista is home to the Fenton Ranch and the Chula Vista Municipal Golf Course as well as Los Ninos Park and Library Park. Shopping centers in the area include Florence Shopping Center, Rio Sweetwater Plaza Shopping Center and Genesis Square Shopping Center. Visitors to Chula Vista can choose from Best Western Chula Vista Inn, Bay Cities Motel and Big 7 Motel for temporary stays in the area.